


Trial and Error

by go_ask_ash



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII
Genre: Asexual Character, M/M, Other, Reno & Rufus, Rufus & Reno, Trans Character, Trans Male Character, Trans Reno, Trans Rufus Shinra, Turkfic, the Turks - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-21
Updated: 2020-08-21
Packaged: 2021-03-03 02:13:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 13,255
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24297160
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/go_ask_ash/pseuds/go_ask_ash
Summary: A collection of Trans!Reno stories-Each chapter is a oneshot based on Reno's experience as a trans male and second in command of the Turks. (Bonus Trans!Rufus)
Relationships: Reno/Rufus Shinra, Rufus/Reno
Comments: 18
Kudos: 64





	1. Personal Invitation

Tseng recruited Reno for the Turks at 16 yrs old.

He had been watching him for 6 months straight.

This kid had waltzed into Shinra to join the SOLDIER program- Tseng didn’t often watch the entrance trials but that day fate (or work) had him passing through.

There was Reno. Bright red hair immediately drawing attention to the fact that everyone else on the field looked like they were moving in slow motion. He looked.. _**dangerous**_. Just the kind of talent Tseng was told to scout on the sly. There was something about the way this one moved; nothing like those other meatheads looking to call themselves SOLDIER. He had a delicate, lethal grace despite obviously coming out of the slums. No mistaking that attitude.

Tseng made a mental note to come back in a few weeks and check in. If the kid was half as promising as he seemed in the trial, a new Turk could be joining the ranks. And about the same age too... Easier to win over to Rufus’s side.

About a month later he returned to the academy and asked about the redhead. To his surprise, the admin replied, “Oh. That one? Didn’t pass medical. Got sent home the day after. You need the file, sir?”

 _Didn’t pass medical_?

"Yes, I will take the file. Thank you.”

The kid outranked every hopeful on the field that day. What could have possibly been the issue?? Tseng flipped through the file in his hand, studying the charts.

 _Oh_.

After that day, special surveillance was set up on Reno. Once or twice a week, Tseng would spend a few hours in the slums; watching, learning, sizing up their intended recruit. Until one day Reno turned the tables and cornered him in an alley. Gaia he was fast. It was as good a time as any for a confrontation. Letting the kid lead seemed like the smartest choice in the moment.

“Why ya been following me, suit? I didn’t steal nothing from Shinra. Didn’t even put up much of a fight when they kicked me out. You got no business being here in the slums and a hell of a lot better things to do than trail my sorry ass. So what’s the deal, yo?”

“The Vice President would like to extend you a different sort of offer. This would be nothing like SOLDIER work- you have to be intelligent, sharp, silent, and willing to carry out any order required. A consummate professional. I believe you have what we seek. Come to the Shinra building tomorrow at 14:00 and we can discuss things further. If you are interested, we’ll speak then.”

With that, Tseng disappeared.

The next day at Shinra HQ, Reno was shown to the Turks’ offices, down in the lower floors of the building. The elevator ride provided plenty of time to fidget with a wrinkled collar and gaze at dirty, worn boots. Feeling out of place was an understatement. The secretary opened a door to a large office with glass all around, and inside was Tseng, sitting at his desk reading papers in hand. Reno observed he couldn’t be more than 19 or 20, even with the poise and professionalism the man exuded. He motioned at the seat in front of the desk. Before his ass even hit the chair, the defenses were flying.

“I thought about what ya said to me. But I jus don’t think you’re gonna find me... _right for the program._

Or at least, that’s what those fuckers down at the academy tried to tell me before. There’s a lot you don’t know about me, and I don’t wanna waste your time when in the end you’re gonna tell me I don’t cut it. Again.”

Tseng waited until Reno had said his piece and let out an exasperated _huff_. Then he slid the file on his desk over so it could be seen. Reno’s file. From the academy. Open to a medical chart. There, written in red ink, was a note. _**‘Applicant denied. Falsified information. Actual sex, F.’**_

The two locked eyes for a moment as realization flooded over Reno’s face. Then Tseng spoke.

“We know everything we need to know about you: your life, your name, your skills, and the fact that I am still here to make you an offer to join the Turks. This is on behalf of the Vice President of Shinra himself. Am I wasting my time?”

Reno paused for a moment and studied the man’s face. “What’s the catch, huh? I don’t wanna stay here if all these corporate assholes are gonna keep telling everybody I’m a female when that just ain’t the case, yo. Whether ya understand it or not, I’m just as much of a man as you are.. And nothin’s gonna change that, no matter how many papers you got in that file.”

He was flustered, Tseng could tell, but determined to stand his ground and make his point. An admirable fighting spirit; even more confirmation this was the best choice for Rufus and the plans they had for Shinra.

Reno was unaware just how much experience Tseng **did** have with this precise situation, supporting Rufus all these years through his own struggle.

“No catch. You join the Turks, dedicate your life and abilities to supporting the company and the family name, and Shinra will provide for you in return. Whatever medical attention you desire at this time we will arrange it. And when you are fit for duty your training will begin. It will be exhaustive, relentless, and require no less than your top performance. Now, I’ll ask you once more, am I wasting my time?”

Reno’s face slid into a sideways smirk as he shook hands with his new boss.

This may be _exactly_ the life he needed all along. Reno of the Turks. It had a nice ring to it.


	2. Chosen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reno is briefed on a special assignment.

Shinra made good on their word. Just as Tseng promised.  
Reno received all the medical attention he required, was given ample recovery time, and when it was all said and done he entered his training full of fire and determination.  
He quickly climbed the ranks within the Department of Administrative Research. Skilled, deadly, lightning fast, with unwavering loyalty to the company, he never questioned an assignment- only delivered results. A model employee, overlooking his blatant disregard for authority at times. When it came to policy and procedure, he was a crapshoot at best. Tseng had grown tired of issuing endless dress code violations. The Turks were professionals for Shiva’s sake, and he expected them to appear as such. Which did **not** include leaving your dress shirt unbuttoned to the navel. 

And the only thing the redhead ever had to say for himself-  
“How could I deny everyone the beauty of Gaia’s greatest gift?” 

One day Tseng silently appeared in the Turks’ common room while Reno was pouring his coffee. 

  
“ _ **Reno**_.” 

  
The stern interjection almost caused an accident; scalding black coffee narrowly missing his fingers (and, for once, ~~CLEAN~~ suit). Tseng’s face was void of expression.   
“The Vice President has requested a meeting. You’ll report to his office at 16:00. Understood?” 

_Shit_. He did a quick inventory of his most recent transgressions, attempting to pinpoint why exactly the VP would need to yell at him without the Director in the room. Rufus Shinra was an absolutely beautiful, terrifying man, but in a way that thrilled Reno and pumped adrenaline straight through his veins. A real threat.   
Standing outside the office at 16:00 on the dot had the Turk’s heart racing, but never in a million years would he show it. After a quick knock he strode in with the confidence of a dead man- knowing no fear in the face of impending disaster. 

Rufus lifted his gaze from the computer screen and extended a hand toward the chair placed opposite his desk. Reno plopped down in front of him with caution and spoke.  
“What’s up, Boss?”

“There is an extremely confidential matter we need to discuss.” Rufus replied, turning to open the drawer below. He then placed a very familiar silver vial and thin syringe on the desk between them.   
A million different thoughts raced through Reno’s mind at once. He could feel the heat on his face from a mixture of embarrassment and anger, boiling over as he immediately went on the defensive. 

“Where did you get those? _The hell were you in my dorm?!_

This shit is prescribed by Shinra physicians and 100% kosher. Got all the documentation to back it up... I’m clean if that’s what you’re trying to get at.  
And if its my performance you're worrried about, I think that Tseng will more than back me up there- I’m fucking second in command for a reason! Honestly I thought you knew about all this bullshit from the begin-”

“Reno.” Rufus loudly interrupted.  
“They’re **mine**.”

There was a heavy silence and the protests stopped short. 

“Boss?”

“This is a test. You're here today to administer this medication to me, affirming the success of both your job as one of my Turks and my decision making ability. Now, I assume you know what you’re doing without my help.”

Reno stared dumbly at the items in front of him before beginning the now memorized routine. He studied the vial for the dosage, then began filling the syringe. 

“Left or right?” Reno asked. 

“Left this time, thank you.” Rufus exposed his left thigh and nodded to give the go ahead. Reno inserted the needle and began slowly injecting the liquid as he had done for himself hundreds of times before. The closeness had him a little flustered, so he kept his eyes focused on his task.   
“Tomorrow I am being sent on an ‘extended business trip’ to Junon. Basically my father is putting me under house arrest because he finds me dangerous. And the old bastard’s not wrong.   
You are being personally assigned as my detail.”

“Me, Boss? I thought Tseng was your right hand man. I'm not second guessing ya, just curious.”

“There is reason to believe that from here forward there may be increased attempts on my life. Should an event arise where I am incapacitated in any way, you would best be able to make decisions concerning my health and safety given your personal experience with a similar medical history.”

“Absolutely, sir. Glad my past can prove useful to someone.” Reno looked up to the VP’s icy blue eyes, trying to read them.   
“Tseng wasn’t lying about you personally extending my offer of employment, was he? You chose me for this.” 

“And imagine my delight when you came in and showed all these ignorant corporate assholes just how sound of a decision it was.”

Rufus’s eyes twinkled a bit but Reno’s smile was absolutely feral at the remark.   
He was practically glowing with pride.  
“I look forward to escorting you on this business trip, Sir. Let me know if I can getcha anything else before we go.”

“That will be all for tonight, thank you. Your assistance and dedication are appreciated.”

With that he turned and headed for the door. Needless to say it was going to take him a minute to process all this when he got back to the dorms. Hell, it may even call for a shot or two to help put his swirling mind at rest.

“Reno-”  
He heard the VP call his name just as he was about to walk out the door.  
“I’ll tell Tseng to ease up on those dress code violations from here on out. Can’t be denying the public a glimpse of Gaia’s greatest gift.”

He’d swear on Ifrit’s asshole the man winked. 

“Thanks Boss,” was all he could manage before closing the office door and letting out a cackle that was probably heard all the way under the plate.

Rufus fucking Shinra, huh. What. A. _Threat_. 


	3. Partners

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Enter Rude.

“ _Reno_ ,”

Rufus’s voice brought him back to reality. He’d been staring out the picture window of the VP’s office daydreaming of a trip to the coast. Something about sunset over the ocean and his boss gazing at the horizon in the pink glow...

“I am putting in a request for Tseng to assign you a partner. Our time here has proven that it may be beneficial having another Turk assisting with reconnaissance. I know you’re going to argue-”

Just as expected, Reno was making a sour face and had opened his mouth to retort.

“However, between securing my safety and location at all times on top of gathering the intelligence we’ve been after, it’s no longer humanly possible for you to do this on your own.”

“Now wait just a minute there, _Boss_. Don’t I get any say in tha matter??”

“Ultimately, yes. You will have the final approval on the candidate. But if you’re asking if it’s possible to change my mind about this, then no.”

 _Gaia_ , sometimes Rufus got under his skin. His word was law, of course. Fuck that beach daydream. Right now he’d much rather sock the blonde square in the jaw. Even if he would end up regretting it later.

“Think of it this way: I need you at 100% to look out for my safety. No room for error there. With a partner out on the streets gathering intel, that gives you time to focus on what’s most **important**.” He looked Reno dead in the eye, emphasizing the fact that _important_ = ME. Selfish bastard. Selfish, gorgeous, bastard. 

  
A week later Tseng had his choice fly in from Midgar for a face to face meeting. The guy’s name was Rude (no joke), and Reno vaguely remembered him from a joint assignment a couple of years ago. Combat expert, didn’t talk much, and if his memory served him well enough, about a foot taller than him. Wonder if the Director did that on purpose. Seemed like his type of passive aggressive humor.   
Reno walked out on to the helipad to meet his prospect on arrival.   
His memory was correct. 190cm at least. Hilarious.

“What up there, partner? You must be Rude,” he shouted over the noise of the propellers winding down, “I know the Director probably told you this would be some formal ass interview, but that ain’t my style. Wanna grab a burger and a shake instead? My treat. It beats the questionable rations you’ll find around this joint any day.”   
“Sounds like a plan, Sir.” Rude never cracked a smile but his shoulders seemed to drop ever so slightly.   
“You ain’t gotta call me ‘sir’ neither. That’s a title for stuffy assholes like the Director and the VP. They get off on that shit, y’know? My name’s Reno, and that’ll do fine.”  
“Understood.” Was the stoic man’s only reply. His serious nature had him intrigued, and he was determined to see the man laugh. Otherwise, this one was a no go. 

At the diner things went pretty smoothly. Rude was observant, direct, and liked to take his coffee with three sugars and two creams. (You can tell a lot about a man by the way he drinks his coffee.) Reno also was able to make him laugh. Once. A deep, rolling chuckle that shook the entire table before he had a chance to regain his composure.

“So listen, I like you. You’re smart, skilled, and compliant. That’s checking all my boxes so far. But if we are actually going to be partners in the field I need you to get one thing perfectly clear- never, EVER am I to be picked up and carried like a goddamn princess. I don’t care if all of my ribs are broken and you have to sling me over your shoulders. Men are allowed a certain amount of pride, and this is the limit of mine.   
That being said, we got a deal here?” 

_That’s_ when Rude laughed. It was infectious, and they both cackled for a solid minute before managing any further coherent conversation. Wiping the tears out of his eyes, Reno repeated his offer, 100% confident in the man across the table.   
“Ready for an adventure, Partner?”

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Over the years, Reno often considered telling Rude about his past. But every time he almost brought it up, a little voice in his head would quickly dash the thought away.  
‘ _He will look at you differently. You’ll lose all of your hard earned respect. What would be the point except to ruin things?_ ’ His brain was ever vigilant with insecurities. 

They fell into a quirky routine during assignments that required close personal interaction- Reno never paraded around nude in the presence of others, despite the fact the man couldn’t be bothered to wear a shirt with an appropriate neckline. When they dressed together, he was careful to face the opposite direction at all times; cracking jokes about Rude’s modesty and shy nature.   
Once, while working a job under the plate, Reno had been grazed by a bullet, narrowly making his escape from an underground casino where a few Shinra execs were known to hang around. He unceremoniously flopped into the chopper, pulling a hand away from his chest covered in bright red blood. Rude rushed to his side with the “repair kit” (as the Turks jokingly called the first-aid box) in hand and made a motion to peel back the blood soaked shirt.   
“Hold your horses there partner, I’ll take it from here,” he winced, still managing a grin, “You know how the sight of blood makes you woozy. Don’t have the energy for one of your fainting spells on top of a patch job.”   
The argument was won and he doctored himself up alone in the back as Rude returned to the co-pilot seat. 

_That was too close. Gotta watch your back better than that, Red._   
Goddamn his traitorous body and mind.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Fast forward a few years.

A certain Cloud Strife and a group of terrorists called AVALANCHE royally fucked up Reno and Rude’s mission to drop the Sector 7 plate.   
Rude looked at his unconscious partner lying on the ground. No doubt he was sporting multiple broken ribs, and one could only hope his spine had avoided any major damage. Remembering their diner conversation that seemed like a lifetime ago, he knelt down and draped Reno gracefully over the back of his shoulders. No princess would be caught dead like this.   
A second later the Medic swooped in and Shinra EMTs quickly shuffled his partner away as Rude had no choice but to watch helplessly and stand guard. They had been through hell and back together these past few years. Nothing was going to keep him from watching the redhead’s back now. Not even a few high and mighty doctors. 

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Reno opened his eyes and made the connection he was back at HQ. In the Turk dorms, lying in his own bed. He looked over and saw Rude sitting on the floor in the corner, ever present sunglasses masking whether the man was sleeping or just the embodiment of a human statue. When he finally looked down to assess the damage, what he found hit him like a chocobo kick to the gut. His suit jacket and shirt were nowhere to be seen, along with his slacks. Bandages covered his exposed chest, but not enough to conceal the faded half moons that he’d spent years carefully hiding from the world.   
Sitting up with a jolt he scanned the bedroom floor for any discarded shirt or jacket he could grab and throw on before anyone else came in.   
“Where’s the fire?” Rude asked sleepily, slowly getting to his feet.   
“Rude. Hand me a shirt, would ya? There should be some in the closet over there.” He reached in and tossed over one of the wrinkled white shirts.   
Reno pulled it over his shoulders (still disregarding the buttons) and looked away from his partner.   
“Guess you got the full view, huh. Never intended on fucking up enough for you to have to see me like this. Sorry I never told you about…   
Sweet Shiva on toast I sound ridiculous, don’t I?” He laughed in spite of the crushing pain now growing in his rib cage- how pathetic he must sound. 

“Like an absolute _ass_.” Rude gave one of his thousand watt smiles reserved for those blessed to know him outside of his life as a Turk.   
“My first week on the job Rufus called me into his office for a private meeting. He gave me your medicals, told me to memorize every page. As your partner he said I was expected to keep you alive and safe, under any circumstances, because, and I quote, ‘ _Reno is an incredibly valuable asset to my company.. And to be honest, myself as well.’_ So your appearance wasn’t exactly the dramatic twist you were hoping for.”

 _“You’ve known. All these years._ And you just let me carry on like nothing at all…”

“Reno, I intend to live as a gentleman, no matter what my job title may imply. You are not only my superior, but my partner, and have earned the utmost respect time and again in our service together.   
You’re a good man and a great fucking Turk.   
So don’t let me hear you complaining about any bruises after I had to sling some DIVA over my shoulders instead of being carried like a princess because of his _pride_.”

The redhead thought his heart might burst, and not from the pain of four broken ribs.  
“Rude, what in Gaia did I do to deserve you?” 

“Really it’s not me you have to thank. The VP looked me straight in the eye that night and said if any of that information ever left his office he would personally slit my throat and stride into work the next day with a new red suit.”

Reno **_blushed_**.

“He was here you know. Busted in the minute I brought you down, demanding to know your status. Still would be, if it wasn’t for his damn PHS ringing incessantly. That on the table is for you.”

On the nightstand next to the bed there were two bottles and a white business card. One was a potion, the other was a bottle of golden colored whiskey sure to cost more than all his possessions combined. The business card belonged to one _Rufus fucking Shinra, Vice President_. The back had a scrawled message that read ‘One for now, one for later.’

Tilting back the potion all in one swig, Reno attempted to stand. “Guess it’s time for our briefing with the Director, since I’m back among the living.”  
“Best not to drag things out,” Rude agreed.   
This time he graciously accepted the man’s assistance getting back into his usual black suit. Carefully buckling the coat, he left his bandaged chest exposed per usual. Wrecked or not, this was **still** Gaia’s greatest gift. 

In the conference room with Tseng, the phone rang.   
_“The VP needs us.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I always imagined it would be incredibly difficult for Reno to bring this up with Rude. They're expected to be thick as thieves, but where do you even begin?
> 
> Y'ALL I'M ENJOYING THIS SO MUCH I HOPE YOU ARE TOO!
> 
> Any scenarios you'd like to see going forward??


	4. Cause

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter got a bit long so I had to break it into two parts! Part one is all the heavy stuff and I promise part two will be back to the fun. Hope you enjoy!!

Rufus sighed and put his hand over his eyes to shield them from the massive amount of paperwork now piled on the desk.   
A few feet away the Turk adjusted his gaze, noticing the dark circles and pallid color on the VP’s face.   
“You’re gonna dig yourself an early grave with all these long days, _sir_. Least you'll leave a real pretty corpse.” 

He shot Reno a look. “And what do you expect to be done about it? Shinra never sleeps and it seems that I am destined for the same. While we’re on the subject, a pot of coffee is going to be necessary. This may turn out to be a long night.”   
“Oh?” He smirked and raised an eyebrow, “Do tell me more..”   
This was their routine now, Rufus giving orders and Reno firing back with an inappropriate comment or proposition. It would have gotten anyone else fired on the spot. Two years on this ‘extended business assignment’ had brought them quite close, and Reno’s ridiculous banter was one of the few things keeping Rufus sane. Not that he would ever admit to enjoying it.

“ **Reno. _Coffee_.**”

When the clock read 2:46am they were well into their second pot of the night. Hours had passed reviewing endless reports and observing surveillance. Rufus’s phone suddenly rang, jolting the two out of their fog.   
“Understood. That can be arranged. No no, 15:00. I’ll be there.” Click.   
“We have a highly classified meeting in Costa tomorrow. Have the helicopter ready in 20 minutes.”   
“Yes, Boss. I’ll be waitin’ for ya.”   
“And Reno,” he waited until their eyes locked. “Not one soul outside of this room will hear of this.”   
A quick nod of understanding and Reno was out the door and on the helipad getting prepared. When the VP appeared (not in his usual white suit but a black overcoat and dashing newsboy cap?) the two jumped in and took off without a word.   
They rode in silence most of the short flight.   
When the city peeked over the horizon, Rufus said over the comm, “Land us on the Shinra building, business as usual. Inside the hangar there is an elevator with a keypad- secluded, looks like it’s for maintenance. Walk straight there. Don’t speak until we are in the apartment. Understood?”  
“Roger that.”

Reno followed Rufus straight to the elevator upon landing, for once in his life staying silent despite all the questions buzzing about his head like killer bees. The ‘maintenance’ elevator had only one button, and went to the 21st floor.   
_‘Odd, all of the lodging in the building was on floors 16-19. Above that was.. storage? Materials containment? Pretty much the equivalent of a Shinra broom closet until floor 25.’_ The lift opened to a drab looking hallway with one door. Rufus entered another passcode and tilted his head for Reno to follow.   
Inside was a very posh, albeit extremely tiny, studio apartment. Nothing about the entrance to this space would have given away such luxury digs on the other side.  
“Welcome to my own private jail cell,” Rufus said, lifting his hands as if to show it off. “Not too shabby, for a million gil prison. I’d give you the grand tour, but what I’d really like to do is have a shower before I am dead on my feet. You have to be exhausted as well?”

Indeed he was, but it was his job and number one priority to ensure everything was safe. “Go on in and shower or whatever, I gotta do a once over out here first.”   
He performed the usual perimeter checks twice over (can’t have anything happening on his watch) which didn’t take long being that the entire apartment was one common room, a tiny kitchen with a bar, and the master suite. Confident that everything was secure, Reno was ready to change out of his suit and finally catch some zzzs. 

First thing he noticed was precisely one bed in the center of the room. Second was Rufus, standing near the window drying his hair with a towel. All of the air left Reno’s body with a quiet _oh_.   
Rufus fucking Shinra just **had** to be gorgeous. Couldn’t give the poor Turk a break by having copious amounts of back hair or a hideous birthmark hidden underneath that white suit. _Gaia_. He looked.. otherworldly, like a drawing or a sculpture brought to life. Muscular and toned, no tattoos or piercings, there wasn’t a single flaw on his body. Not even…

“ _You’re staring_.”

“Sorry Boss-   
I just couldn’t help but wonder why ya need to wear five layers of clothing when you look like _that_ underneath,” Welp, ~~that just kind of spilled out~~. Maybe today was a good day to die. He laughed and tried to deflect the embarrassment rising in his cheeks. “Although, I still got Gaia’s greatest gift right here,” motioning to his chest for maximum effect. He spoke the line with usual bravado but behind it was the faintest twinge of insecurity.

“Don’t make me regret sharing a bed with you.” Rufus narrowed his eyes with the threat, but the tiny smirk gave his teasing away. “We are _sleeping_. Don’t get any ideas. Now I’m tired so hurry up.” 

Reno quickly prepared for bed and was mindful to throw on a tank top before appearing in front of Rufus again. Once they were lying down he expected it would be only moments before he fell asleep. But it didn’t happen. His body was exhausted, but his mind raced and refused to still. What made it worse is that he could tell Rufus was not relaxing either. The tension flowed off of him in waves and Reno was worried perhaps he had offended him somehow.   
“What’s up boss? Can’t sleep? Promise I don’t bite, and I was only teasing ya earlier.”

He sighed, heavy and defeated. The sound made Reno’s chest clinch.   
“This place brings back so many horrible memories. And even though everything is different now, it still haunts me. Honestly I didn’t think it would be a problem to stay here and now, I’m regretting it more by the minute.”  
“You wanna talk about it? Y’know I don’t judge anybody’s shit- coming up from slum trash it’s not like I got any airs to put on. Sometimes just sayin stuff out loud takes a load off.”

Rufus turned over to face him. He looked _tired_ ; yet grateful and a little confused as to why the redhead would even be willing to listen. “When I told my father about my identity, he didn’t understand a word of it. The man has his head so far up his own asshole he barely acknowledged the fact that he had a child at all. I explained to him the hormone therapy and that I planned to proceed with it, and that I wished to be called Rufus in the future. _‘We can’t have you causing a scene and giving Shinra a bad name. You can do whatever you like with yourself as long as it’s out of my sight,’_ were his exact words. He decided to place me out here in Costa, to keep this off of the Midgar radar. Tseng was my unofficial guardian. He gave me my lessons, took me to doctors, helped with my medications. The very last thing Father said before locking me away was ‘ _Don’t come back unless you’re worthy of being the son I’ve always wanted._ ’ Three years later, he came to visit and must have decided that I finally was. Every day since then has been a fight to prove I am not only good enough, but a thousand times _more_ of a man and a leader than he ever will be. And now, here I am, a prisoner again! The day I am rid of that bastard can’t come soon enough.” 

There was silence as Reno processed this, so very different from his own life- scraping by under the plate where no one cared if he lived or died. His struggle alone was hard, but Rufus, with all the pressure and expectation weighing on him constantly, no doubt suffered worse. He turned with a pained look and buried his face down in the pillows. 

Reno had never seen him look so _human_. He reached out a hand and slowly, gently, smoothed it over soft blonde hair. And again, this time lingering with a few strands between his fingers. Rufus visibly relaxed at the touch. “Is this.. okay?” Reno asked quietly.  
He nodded but kept his face hidden. “Actually, it feels quite nice, and might help me relax. You may continue,” was all he replied. 

  
Very gently, Reno swept a damp lock of hair away from Rufus’s face. The last thing he wanted was to frighten or upset him somehow. The Turk was no fool, this was a side of himself the VP shared with no one. Being granted this level of trust meant more than all the accolades in his career. For half an hour Reno buried his fingers in his hair, meticulously working over every lock until it was mostly dry. The sound of breathing became slow and even, and he got up the nerve to move his hands down to brush over Rufus’s neck and shoulders- light as a feather, an unspoken question. He leaned into Reno’s touch. It went without saying they were both desperate for human comfort. Rufus, who had probably never received a loving touch in his life, nor had he ever thought he desired it; and Reno who wanted only to protect and provide for his newly found family. While he ran his hands over strong shoulders and smooth skin, his own muscles seemed to relax and the tension poured out of his body and mind. No thoughts. Only slow movement, quiet breathing, warm skin, _safe_. He couldn't remember the last time he felt so calm.

Just when Reno’s eyes were starting to close, Rufus tilted his head back against his ear, “Why are you doing this? Why would you want to do these things for me?”  
There were a million answers on the tip of his tongue. _Because I can see you need this. Because I actually need this. Because we both are horribly touch starved. Because I care for you. Because you’ve earned my respect and my admiration and trust and I just need a safe place with no expectations or judgement to feel a **genuine** connection. _  
All of those things would have sounded pretty hollow and stupid if he had attempted to say them out loud.   
“ _Because I’m your Turk, that’s why.”_  
This seemed to suffice. He made a sleepy ‘hmmmm’ sound. ~~Adorable.~~   
No longer afraid for his life or livelihood, Reno snuggled up against Rufus’s back and lightly threw an arm over him before finally drifting off to sleep. 

Tomorrow was going to be better. He already had a plan. And there was a strong chance that Rufus was going to hate it. Oh well.. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I both love and hate this chapter, because Rufus in pain puts me in pain, yet Reno tries his best to do a halp. Sorry for any glaring errors I may have missed- wanted to get this one out so fast I didn’t give it my usual 23688654 proofreads haha!


	5. Effect

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reno steals Rufus away for his own day of R and R.  
> Part 2 of the previous entry!
> 
> I guess these chapters are going to become exponentially longer every time I post..  
> But I really wanted to begin showing the dynamic between Reno and Rufus. There is slight mention of Rufus's asexuality, which will be explored further down the road. My goal is to give all of these important topics and relationships the care and attention they deserve.  
> Visibility and Inclusivity are important in this house! <3

It was noon before either of them attempted to get out of bed. Reno could be pretty lazy in the mornings if he wasn’t required to be on a schedule, so he took full advantage of the opportunity to sleep in and lounge in Rufus’s company. He could get used to this. No wondering if he remembered his bedmate’s name correctly, no awkward ‘where is this going’ conversation, no trying to think of a quick reason to leave. For once in his whole cursed life Reno was perfectly content. He buried his face in the hair at the back of Rufus’s neck one last time as he took in its softness and sweet scent. He must have felt the grin on Reno’s lips.  
“Why are you laughing? Did I talk in my sleep??”  
He hadn’t even realized the boss was awake yet. The sudden outburst of paranoia _did_ make him laugh, though. 

”Not at all Boss, ya need to quit worrying so much. I was just enjoying the scenery one more time before I got up to make some breakfast. Hungry?” Rufus groaned in approval as Reno jumped out of bed. He had a few calls to make before the VP made his entrance.

About 15 minutes later Rufus appeared, showered and ready for the day, just as eggs and coffee were being placed on the table. The smell from the kitchen was heavenly. “Don’tcha be telling anyone back at HQ that I can cook..” He smirked, as that first sip of coffee spoke to his soul. “I know you got your important business meeting this afternoon, but I already spoke with the Chief and it looks like you’re gonna be indisposed after that. At least until your 10am tomorrow.”  
As expected, he shot back with a glare, “What exactly do you mean? I don’t believe it is within your job description to manage or revise my schedule in any way. You’re in no position to tell me what I will or will not be doing with my time.”

Reno just waved off his objection. “Ah, but it’s also my job to do what is best for you at all costs. And right now, it’s best for you to rest, relax, and trust your favourite Turk will take care of everything.” Rufus snorted like that was the most ridiculous thing he’d ever heard, but he didn’t say no. “We’re bustin’ outta this solid gold shithole first, yo. Eat up.” Reno winked at the exaggerated eye roll that followed. He couldn’t stand the thought of Rufus trapped in this place another night, tortured by his thoughts and terrible memories. So he called in a favor from a friend that owned a house just past the Costa del Sol boardwalk. Soon the two were walking through the palm trees to a quaint little bungalow. He beamed while unlocking the bright yellow door. “Even the beach access is private. Hope you brought your swimmies, Sir.” Rufus strode inside with an exasperated _ughhhh_ , covering his face in feign annoyance to hide his tiny smile. No way was he going to let Reno believe he was his favorite Turk..

\------

Two hours of grueling negotiations, squabbles over gil, and triple checking mako reactor schematics finally came to an end. Reno’s impatience was at an all time high and if he didn’t get a drink and a cigarette ASAP there may be more at stake than the future of the company. A large man with a gun for an arm had threatened his life when he absentmindedly started tapping his foot during one very enthusiastic speech. Free at last, he practically skipped the whole way home. As soon as they were safely back inside Reno sang, “Alright Boss! Vacation starts NOW! Get yourself into some beach gear and out on that sand- the host will be at your service momentarily.” The absurd little bow at the end almost made Rufus want to punch him. The only reason he didn’t was the promise of alcohol.

Dressed in his most obnoxious floral print shirt, a drink in each hand, and sunglasses replacing the ever present goggles on his head, Reno paraded out onto the beach where Rufus was already relaxing in the sun. Shirtless. ~~Fuck~~. Behind the shades Reno allowed himself a longer glance this time. His shoulders and chest were broad, but not bulky, and he very much enjoyed the outline of abs and deep V cuts looking further down. His legs stretched just enough to meet the tips of the incoming waves with his toes. ‘ _Maybe Shinra should start selling calendars…_ ’ he mused to himself. Suddenly that twinge of insecurity returned. He prayed Rufus wasn’t looking him over the same way. Reno was in excellent shape, to be sure. But not only was his build thin and unassuming next to Rufus, he couldn’t bear the thought of revealing his scarred chest to someone that looked so perfect. Someone who was able to transition without having to go under the knife. _That_ was truly Gaia’s greatest gift.  
  
“Well, looks like you’ve already got the hang of this ‘vacation’ stuff,” Reno laughed and handed him a glass, “A toast! Fuck old man Shinra, bring on the new era!” They clinked cheers and proceeded to down the first round in an instant. The cold drinks were right on cue. It was hotter than Ifrit’s asshole but the two refused to give up the sunlight. Eager for any chance to show off his bartending skills, and avoid a heat stroke, Reno kept their glasses filled. They sat for a while swapping office tales, trading the latest scandals like a couple of old biddies. Rufus felt warm and comfortable in the Turk’s company. He enjoyed his loud, boisterous laughter, the closeness that wasn’t accompanied by dread or apprehension, and knowing he was **safe** with him. He often wondered if that pleasance was mutual or just part of the job. The other seemed very content with his career and their time together so he’d never thought to ask.  
“You ever date anyone, Reno? With your line of work I don’t see how it would be possible.”

“I do what I have to do when necessary; same as most tha Turks. But nah, I don’t ‘date.’ Not my thing. Soulmates and shit? That’s nothing but a marketing scheme created to make money; fed by simpletons who have to be told what’s good for ‘em. Never fails- I see somebody a few times, they always end up actin’ like they need to own me. ‘Be mine,’ and that garbage… I’m nobody’s possession; I do what I damn well please. So I guess you could say I’m not really into _romance_.” He picked up a tiny seashell and turned it in his hand while he thought for a moment. “Now, what I am into, is loyalty. Dedication. _Selflessness_. Nothing’s more meaningful than that. Maybe it’s a kink, maybe it’s a creed. Who needs flowers and poems when someone would kill a man for you? Or kill you if it meant protecting ya from a fate worse than death??” Reno looked at Rufus, suddenly very serious. “ _I’d kill you if you asked me, Boss. If it meant saving you somehow. That's the most romantic thing ya ever gonna hear me say._ ”  
He leaned back and laughed deep from his chest to lighten the mood.   
“How bout you then? Midgar’s most eligible bachelor… You ever tried dating?”

The other man scoffed, flipping a hand through his hair and looking thoroughly annoyed. “First of all, they can take that title and shove it straight up their assholes. Second, the thought of trying to find a date and make a connection in my position is not exactly a welcome task. People are constantly invading my privacy or entering my space with exactly two goals in mind. Money, and sex. The money side I have no issue dealing with. No one is getting any.” Rufus paused for a moment and smirked. “Actually, that’s the issue with sex, too.” He chuckled darkly to himself.  
“There has never been a time when I went out with someone and didn’t feel like their endgame was sex. It boils down to the same thing every time. And when they don’t get it, they leave. It’s disgusting. Like I’m just prey for the circling hunters. Sex isn’t really my _thing_. Very occasionally does it interest me. All I want in life is **trust**. It’s the highest evolution of human devotion- to completely open up and be comfortable with someone without failing to meet some unrealistic expectation or apologizing for being yourself.”  
Rufus looked human again for a fraction of second; a few stray hairs falling back into his face as he looked down at the water washing over his feet. Reno knew right then- that was exactly the kind of trust he wanted to earn. Even if it took him a lifetime. This man deserved to feel like someone valued and understood him for _once_ in his life, instead of always being burdened by the standards of others.

He tossed the little seashell out into the rising tide. “This is too much bullshit for me to have an empty glass,” expertly switching the focus to a much lighter topic. “Boss, you making the next one?” He teased. “I vote we roast here a bit longer and then get you out on the town!” His bright blue eyes and sideways smile were absolutely devilish, and something in Rufus’s brain went ... _click_. He wasn’t exactly sure what it meant. But he felt it.

Reno’s master plan had been taking the boss out to a nightclub and giving him the chance to really let loose. There was a funky dive bar on the outskirts of town that he frequented when on assignment in Costa; that seemed just the place. They were less likely to be spotted in a crowd, especially out of their usual white and black suits. Rufus had on his newsboy cap from the night before, a white linen button up with the top two buttons open, and a leather harness belt- for the proper effect, Reno insisted. He, on the other hand, had settled for ripped jeans with nothing but an open waistcoat in place of a shirt, sunglasses still on for full effect. They were not ‘the VP and his Turk’ tonight.  
Stepping into the hazy room, Reno watched Rufus take everything in- the blur of colors, sweat, sex, all of it vibrating with energy; an entirely different world from cold white board rooms and sterile office cubicles of the Shinra building. At the bar everyone’s eyes were on the redhead and the blonde. Even without titles they demanded attention. People made a beeline to Rufus all night. Trying to talk or get him to dance, offering to buy him drinks, (which would prompt Reno to walk over and bring him a new one- no taking chances with strangers) and Rufus was absolutely **thriving**.

 _‘Shoulda known he’d be out here breaking hearts,’_ Reno laughed to himself. Watching him crush his unsuspecting victims one by one was pure entertainment. Rufus never wanted to leave, never wanted this freedom to stop. The pulsing music, the flashing lights, the power he held over these random strangers without them even knowing his name; it was all more intoxicating than the never ending supply of drinks seeming to appear in his hand. A familiar shade of red captured his attention. It was Reno, hands raised and hips crashing to the beat. He was a bit drunk, but it only added to his lazy grace. The strobe lights caught his crystal blue eyes like an electric spark when he locked on Rufus. Gods he was actually stunning.  
_Again._ _Click._

Without thinking he turned and wrapped his arms around Reno’s waist, pressing lips against his pale throat before sinking in with his teeth. _Hard_.  
He was confused, almost angry at this inability to decipher his emotions. His body’s response felt almost like betrayal- _want_ was not something Rufus Shinra was accustomed to feeling. Yet here he was, able to think of nothing but Reno’s mouth on his, or anywhere else for that matter. ‘ _Fuck it_ ,’ he thought, and allowed himself to enjoy the sensation of fingers digging into his waist while being pulled in closer and closer with the rhythm. The deafening music and sea of bodies surrounding them seemed to disappear.  
If Reno was the least bit surprised by what was happening, he never let it show. Thank years of experience as a Turk for that one. One minute he was vibing out on the dance floor, and the next Rufus was in his arms, delicious pain flooding his senses. He buried his fingers in soft blonde hair and pulled back until he found Rufus’s lips. Reno kissed him. _Hard_.  
He knew he shouldn't have slipped like that. It wasn’t professional. But great Gaia he was weak. And he wanted it bad.

Regrettably he couldn’t let his guard down just yet. This was still the Vice President of Shinra, whom he had sworn to protect with his life. “How about we head home, mmm?” Reno purred against his ear, grip still locking their hips together.  
“But I'm not ready for tonight to be over,” Rufus frowned, petulant.  
“How about I’ll make you another drink when we get back, and we can sit out on the beach for a while. Fair deal, Mister Vice President?” The devilish grin returned.  
“Deal. But only if you make it a strong one,” he conceded. They swayed together for another moment, neither wanting to break their hold. But when the music paused for the bar owner to announce last call, Reno slid a hand around Rufus’s waist and led him out the door.  
Neither said much on the walk home, but they maintained a constant touch. Rufus was still at war with his body and rational thought. Reno reminded himself of his position, his duty, and how earning the other’s genuine trust and respect was worth far more than a drunken hook up the boss might regret later. It was a hard sell for someone accustomed to taking exactly what he wants whenever he wants it. Back inside the little shack Reno immediately went to the kitchen and started on some fresh drinks. ~~Strong ones~~. Rufus proceeded to strip down to his boxers in the middle of the living room, further crushing the redhead’s resolve. “Let’s hit the beach and keep this vacation rolling.”  
“Alright, well grab the drinks and cigarettes and I’ll be right behind you,” Reno placed both glasses into his hands and sent him out the door. Removing his own clothes and shoes, he hesitated a moment before throwing on the floral shirt from earlier. Even unbuttoned it offered a sense of security, hiding his flaws. Outside Rufus was lighting a cigarette, drink in hand, looking like the cover of a magazine.

He slid down next to him and enjoyed the warm feeling of their skin meeting in the cool air. Without any warning Rufus poured into his lap, teeth catching his neck again like a wolf going in for the kill. That was it, that was Reno’s breaking point. In one fluid motion he turned the tables and had Rufus underneath him, wide eyed. Again he pulled Rufus’s hair back and kissed him. Over and over. Down his jawline, softly whispering over his ears, teeth lightly scraping his shoulders. He wanted to cover every inch of skin he could see.  
The rush was exhilarating. Rufus wanted _more_. The pressure from Reno’s lips and hips felt heavenly, but this new desire for those things felt even better. He may not understand it, but damn if it didn’t take his mind away from everything else on earth for a moment. The quiet rolling of the waves seemed like the only thing reminding him to breathe.

Eventually Rufus pulled away to collect himself, dangerously close to the limit of what he could mentally handle. “Now listen here,” he attempted to regain some composure, “I came out here to get a better look at Gaia’s greatest gift and you’re still wearing this.” He ruffled the hem of his shirt. Reno froze. Rufus raised his hand and started to slip the garment back over his shoulders. “Don’t-” he felt his heartbeat in his ears and shivered slightly in the breeze, nerves on edge.  
“Why won’t you let me look at you,” Rufus asked in earnest.  
“There ain’t nothing to see there. Promise. Not when you’re looking at this in the mirror every day, ha” he deflected the attention by running his thumbs along the contour of Rufus’s smooth chest.  
“What you just said is absolutely ridiculous,” His eyes lit up with the knowledge that he held all of the power in the situation, “Now give me your shirt. I’m cold. That’s an order, Turk.” He kept his head down and slowly removed the shirt, draping it over Rufus in defeat.

He let out a cocky _hmmph_ , asserting he had won. “You make my life difficult by being so **hot** , Reno. I am Rufus fucking Shinra; I don’t have time for the distractions you are constantly causing in my brain,” he quipped. “But don’t you dare stop.” Reno seemed to relax a bit at that. Rufus pressed his palms against his chest and marveled at his lithe, powerful build.  
“These scars don’t make you any less of a man. You’re beautiful. I’ve thought that from the very beginning. Granted it took time for my brain to catch up with what my body obviously already knew. But don’t ever forget- you wouldn’t be _here_ (he lifted his hips for emphasis) if you weren’t the kind of guy that turned every head in the Shinra building. I’m not ashamed to admit my vanity.” That made Reno cackle, though he couldn’t help feeling a tiny spark of pride.  
“Gee, thanks Boss.” He leaned down for one last kiss and smiled against Rufus’s lips. It was his way of saying ‘thank you for accepting me’ without sounding like a complete ass.  
Rufus brushed the red slash on his cheek and sat up. “That’s enough for tonight. It’s time for bed. We still have meetings to attend before noon tomorrow remember?” And it _was_ just enough. Both were tired from the earlier escapades, as well as emotionally exhausted from battling their own demons. Neither said it aloud, but it sure was nice to be fighting side by side after years of going it alone. “You can sleep with me again. Let’s go.” Rufus made it clear this was not a question. They each took one last drag of their shared cigarette before trekking back inside.

Half an hour later, Reno was passed out with fingers still entwined in Rufus’s hair. He enjoyed the quiet moment to watch the Turk rest for once. He noticed the faintest hint of a birthmark shaped like a banora fruit on the left side of his chest. ~~Adorable~~. Rufus fell asleep still wearing the shirt he had demanded from Reno, and for the second night in a row slept soundly without the menacing dreams that usually plagued him. Sleeping in his arms seemed to quell the storms brewing in his mind. Whatever this connection was, he had waited a long time for it. And _Gaia_ he was grateful.

The next morning, Tseng was waiting out on the helipad for them to arrive. “Shit...” Reno said under his breath. Rufus shot him a disapproving look. As they exited the copter, Tseng nodded at Rufus and let him take the lead. Reno fell in stride next to the Chief and kept his eyes forward, unwilling to acknowledge his sour expression. “Reno,” he said sternly, so quiet not another soul would have heard it, “You will report to my office this afternoon to discuss your actions over the past two days. I will contact you when you’re expected.” Reno knew he was in trouble, but he wouldn’t have changed a thing. Sometimes the best reward is worth a bit of punishment, and he was never one to back down from a little danger.

  
**Just a fun little addition- this is the art that inspired the scene of Rufus sleeping in Reno’s shirt... I am OBSESSED with this artist and you should definitely give them a follow!!

https://laerel.tumblr.com/post/618991427732520960/one-morning-just-wanted-to-draw-reno-and-rufus

@laerel on Tumblr and @70thheaven on Twitter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WOOF. Hopefully you guys enjoyed this installment even though it was significantly less action than the past few chapters. Again if you have any topics/scenarios you'd like to see developed feel free to leave a comment!


	6. Undercover

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reno’s first undercover mission is the most high-stakes job he’s undertaken so far...  
> Not like he’s saving the entire Turk department or anything!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TRIGGER WARNING: some of the derogatory language in this chapter can be very hurtful. It isn’t necessarily explicit, but is nevertheless painful and may be difficult for certain readers. I felt it characterized the person correctly, building up the hatred, but please proceed with caution if you are uncomfortable with any type of bullying/degradation speech.

The basement of Shinra’s Junon building wasn’t exactly a prime location for receiving visitors. Yet somehow Rufus was now sitting across from Heideigger’s smug, stupid face; the offensive stench of his musky cologne choking the other occupants of the room. This office, and the VP’s whereabouts, were supposed to be top secret. Not exactly hidden, but not disclosed to others either. Heideigger had managed to track him down and paid an unwelcome call on Rufus that afternoon- after the same thing as always, a captive audience to gloat about his useless ideas and “accomplishments.”

“The Turks aren’t a valuable asset to Shinra any longer. The entire Investigation Sector is a joke. We have a perfectly capable military force that is severely underutilized at the moment.”  
He seethed while Heidegger stood across from him, looming overhead in what Rufus assumed was some primitive attempt at intimidation?  
Though his title remained Vice President of Shinra, Heidegger was still technically in charge of the Turks. Rufus regarded him as nothing more than an ogre; crude, ill-tempered, lacking the mental capacity to be an effective leader. That was the reason he couldn’t understand the Turks’ value. He was simply too stupid to use precision tools.  
The disgust Rufus felt at being in an enclosed space with the man for any length of time was thinly veiled across his face.

“The company’s budget can’t afford to waste gil on a network of personal bodyguards for the President’s brat. At the next board meeting, I’m proposing this department be disbanded. Best pick a favorite- you’ll want to save at least one for yourself. My money’s on the foreign one here.”  
Heidegger motioned at Tseng, whose expression remained unmoved despite the rage boiling up into his throat.

“His name is Tseng. He is the Director of The Investigation Sector. And you will address him as such,” Rufus shot back. “As Vice President I will not tolerate such blatant disrespect in my office. You seem to forget that I still outrank you.” Empty threat or not, it was the truth.  
Flipping a hand through loose blonde bangs, he leaned in, eyes never wavering. If this Neanderthal wanted a dick measuring contest, he was going to get one. And lose. Underneath that vapid arrogance, however, Rufus was _frantic_. Heidegger was a persuasive man, and high in the regards of Old Man Shinra. If he made the case for dissolving the Investigation Sector, it was almost guaranteed that his father would agree. _This can’t happen. I’ll kill him first…_

Rufus was snapped out of his thoughts by Heidegger’s continued blathering. “...one that I can’t wait to get rid of, let me tell you! An embarrassment to Shinra, you having that thing at your side all the damn time. Using a SOLIDER would be much more-”  
 **“Excuse me?”**  
Tseng quietly moved his hand to the VP’s shoulder, sensing the imminent wrath. He saw Rufus’s weapon resting in its usual spot, fingers moving to graze over the handle. ‘ _Careful, sir_ ’ the silent pressure from his Turk’s hand warned.

“You know the one I mean, that mousy redhead. When they kicked her ass out of the academy I couldn’t believe they let the slum trash even apply for the Investigation Sector. Then you bring her on board and let her parade around like some Honeybee slut, tits out for the world to see, acting like she didn’t just fuck her way to the top the same as every other bitch in the company. On top of all that, insisting on being called a man! The day she whips out her cock and proves it is the day I’ll start addressing her like she has one. What kind of circus you think you’re running here? HA!” His heinous chuckle almost sent Rufus over the edge.

In one fluid motion he pulled the massive shotgun out from its home underneath the desk and had it pointed straight into the other man’s face. The only reason he didn’t pull the trigger immediately was the thought his father may actually have him assassinated for getting blood in the white carpet.  
“GET OUT.” Rufus’s command sliced through the sickening laughter. Tseng held his position right behind, poised to strike any second. A blur of black and white, ready to kill in an instant. Heidegger didn’t move, but his disgusting smile was finally wiped away. Sweat began to form on his temples, realizing the younger Shinra was neither weak nor as easily influenced as his father.  
“Now listen here, freak. I have to play nice and treat you like a ‘real boy’ because your daddy signs my paychecks. Having to watch you play dress up for years, acting like one of the big dogs, that’s sickening enough. But when you go trying to infiltrate MY departments with the same kind of nutjobs just to make yourself feel better, there we have an issue. I’m making the proposition to cut the Turks. I’ll leave you to determine which pet you’d like to keep. Doubt the decision will be an easy one with all the fruitcakes you’ve collected.”

And with that, he pushed the gun barrel out of his face and stormed through the glass doors, left shuddering wildly from unnecessary force.  
Rufus was shaking now, sliding down to the floor in a heap; anger, fear, outrage all pulsing through his veins. His weapon remained tight in his fist as he contemplated the fact this was the closest he’d ever come to killing a man. It would have been so easy, so freeing…  
The room was spinning and the vice president’s mind raced with worst case scenarios and possibilities.  
“Sir,” Tseng’s firm voice gave him something to focus on besides plotting an ‘unfortunate accident’ involving the Head of Public Safety. “I have intel that may be used to our advantage in this situation.” He had to concentrate now. _Think_. There was hope. If Tseng thought his intel was important enough to mention, it must be legit.  
Still, the situation was going to get worse before it got better.  
  
“Get me Reno,” was his whispered reply.

Reno was out on surveillance in Sector 5, but agreed to report back the minute his situation was clear. While they waited, Tseng made tea and explained his plan to Rufus. The VP was eternally grateful for his number one Turk, always cool headed and calm in the face of adversity- no matter how close to home.  
“Drink,” he was still shaking slightly as a steaming mug was placed into his hands, “It will ease your nerves.” The warm spice that met his lips did indeed seem to calm his racing heartbeat. _Gaia_ what would he ever do without these men.

“We have actually been keeping tabs on Heidegger for the past month, after picking up a tip that he may be selling Shinra secrets to an outside terrorist cell - making his precious military seem more useful. If we can prove this to be true, you have the bargaining chip needed to ensure he remains compliant. We can double our efforts over the next week. Sweep again for informants on the ground. If something happens, we’ll have eyes on it.”  
Rufus contemplated this, and took another long sip. “Excellent. Assign all available personnel to this mission. We have until the 26th. Go and arrange what’s necessary. There’s no time to waste. Send me all of the current files- I will be fine waiting here until Reno arrives.”  
Tseng gave him a disconcerting look as he turned for the door. Rufus nodded with a determined smirk. “The Turks will survive, as we always do.”  
 _Rufus fucking Shinra would make sure of it._

An hour later Rufus was buried in all of the information the Turks had pulled on Heidegger. Reviewing each detail for something, anything, that could be a substantial lead. _Tick, tick, tick,_ the sound of his office clock was deafening, knowing every second he could be closer to losing the only people in his life he’d ever trusted.  
“Ya rang, Boss?” Reno’s voice sailed through the silence of the office, “I’ve only been gone a couple days, surely you didn’t miss me already.” Seeing his impish smile hurt Rufus to the core, knowing it would soon disappear.  
“Unfortunately, I’ve brought you here on grim business. But take some pride in the fact that you and only you are the man for the job. I need you Reno,” he looked straight into bright blue eyes, eager and vivacious as always.  
“We’ve got to protect the Turks.”  
Reno became instantly serious, flipping an internal switch unlocking a level of professionalism that made it obvious why he was second in command. His aura hummed with energy. The lazy slouch disappeared, and he leaned in like a wildcat ready to pounce. “Brief me on our objective.”  
  
Rufus reluctantly pulled the office surveillance from earlier. Heidegger’s words were something he couldn’t bear to repeat- the abhorrent slurs choked him with ire and shame before ever reaching his lips. His hope was that experiencing the tirade first hand would give Reno motivation, _fire_ , to fight and to **win**. The monitor replayed the events of that afternoon. Rufus felt his own eyes sting with tears hearing the nauseating speech again, seeing his fiery redhead resisting the urge to crumble while realizing the unnamed subject of this hateful scene was _him_. No one would have ever guessed by Reno’s fierce, determined expression- but the telltale shine over red slashed cheekbones and clenched fists to hide trembling fingers were enough for Rufus to know his Turk was in pain. He stood, motionless, eyes still locked on the screen after the video stopped. The sound of a sharp inhale made him shiver.

“Are we going to kill him?” Reno breathed, so low it was barely audible.  
“No,” Rufus replied. “Worse. We are going to expose him; show him exactly who holds the cards. When we’re through he will be nothing but a dog on our leash.”  
  
...

“And Reno? ...I want him to know it was **_you_**.”  
  
  
  
  
Tiny blue sparks lit up the air surrounding Reno as he threw his head back and _cackled_. Immediately the dour mood was lifted, eased by the return of his mischievous smile.  
“Boss, you’re downright villainous, ya know that? I _love_ it.”  
He winked and pulled one of the plush armchairs over to the desk, proceeding to drape himself over the side like some sort of lizard.  
“Lemme see what you got.”  
Rufus handed him the stack of documents that Tseng had sent down earlier. The two studied quietly for the next half hour, until Reno shouted, “HAA!” so abruptly that Rufus nearly shot out of his seat. “I KNOW THIS PLACE!”  
A breakthrough.  
  
Turns out one of the intercepted messages contained the name of an cunderground Casino in Sector 6, on the outskirts of Wall Market. Highly secretive with a guest list kept under heavier security than a mako reactor, it seemed the only way to learn the location was from someone who had already been.  
Enter Reno.  
“Now I ain’t saying I’ve ever been proud of anything I did, especially in the past,” he explained, giving the side eye to Rufus, “but this is where I’m from. And trash knows trash. I worked in the kitchen there when I was a kid. Hiring slum rats in exchange for a few hours of warmth and some table scraps probably seemed like good business. Ya know why it’s locked down tighter than Shiva’s asshole? The waitstaff and entertainers are _men only_. Imagine the HoneyBee but for closeted old bigots whose reputation would be ruined over seeking the company of an attractive bloke once in a while. I’ll never understand those old fossils’ aversion to just living life the way ya want. Liking some strong shoulders and a nice ass ain’t a crime.”  
  
Rufus took a moment to absorb this. The wheels were already turning in his mind. He shot Reno a syrupy sweet grin and sang, “Oh Renoooooo, how lucky we are that you were blessed with Gaia’s greatest gift. Now I’ve got the perfect operative for infiltrating the location… there’s no way this plan could fail.” Reno looked him dead in the face and said, “You gotta be fuckin’ joking.” But Rufus only winked and pulled out his phone, Tseng on speed dial.  
  
Two nights later Reno made contact with an acquaintance that still worked in the Casino. After some haggling that ended with a hefty sum leaving Rufus’s personal (and well guarded) wallet, a uniform was acquired and the wheels set in motion. Heidegger had reserved one of larger meeting rooms, complete with its own dedicated wait staff, for the very next evening. The plan was for Reno to infiltrate as one of the staff, placing multiple bugs within the room, as well as a personal recording device on his body. Whatever it took, they were going to get the evidence. Rude would be backing him up from an outside location, ready with a helicopter when it was time to escape. It seemed airtight.

Reno looked at himself in the mirror again and had to blink a few times at what a sight he was. Thank the gods he was safe in his dorm at the moment, because the other Turks would have absolutely roasted his ass if they were there.  
The casino entertainment staff uniform was a blatant rip off of the Honey Bee get up: a corset vest top with suit lapels, tuxedo shorts, fishnets (optional, though Reno had no choice but to wear them, further disguising his tattooed legs). Thank Ifrit the headwear was a simple black top hat, albeit a glittery one. Even for a man with no shame he felt ridiculous, especially after applying some smoky black eyeliner to complete the look. He touched his cheek where the familiar markings should have been. His face was suddenly someone he didn’t recognize. Getting used to the hair was gonna take a minute too- his flaming red locks were presently stuffed beneath a scruffy black wig. Rude was NEVER going to let him live this down. ‘Oh well,” he thought, doing a final once-over, ‘If I have to do this, better OWN IT.” He laughed at his own stupid pep talk, which was disrupted by one quick, firm knock on the door. “It’s open,” he called, expecting the Chief for a last minute briefing.  
It was not Tseng.  
  
“B- Boss!” he stuttered; a momentary lapse in composure as he remembered his appearance. But it was quickly recovered without missing a beat as he crowed, “What a surprise. I didn’t expect to see you here. Come to get a good laugh before the serious business begins?” Reno did a little pirouette and a deep dancer’s bow, showing off his ‘good side’ a bit. And by good side, he meant ass. No use in keeping up all this strength and flexibility with no one to appreciate.  
“ _Gaia_ …” Rufus cut himself off, realizing his mouth was slightly agape. He fiddled with his collar. Reno raised an eyebrow suggestively, which prompted Rufus to scoff and continue.  
“What I came by to say was be careful. Keep your sights focused on the job and you might just singlehandedly save the department. You can’t die,” he looked Reno up and down fully, no coyness about it this time. “because I’m ordering you to join me for dinner tomorrow night. Wearing _this_. Understood?” Rufus held his gaze without blinking, daring him to make an objection. “Don’t really have a way ta argue that, do I? Never you fear, sir, I’ll be there. In one piece. Appropriate attire and all,” the Turk gave his usual two finger salute with maximum swagger.  
“I‘ll hold you to that. Now, let’s get to work.” Rufus turned and left as quickly as he had appeared. It was showtime.  
  
Reno was working that night as one of the private waitstaff in Heidegger’s meeting room, wearing communication devices in both his ear cuff (can’t say earrings weren’t useful) and another inside his hat. The hat could be dropped/removed/placed on a table or rack if necessary to capture anything should Reno leave the room. Rude would be listening in and waiting for the word on extraction.  
First into the room were some thugs that Reno didn’t recognize. He assumed these were the ones buying the information about Shinra. Most notably, not a single one looked to be Wutaian… Contrary to the image President Shinra and the other executives liked to paint as enemy forces. A few minutes later, Heidegger and two of his cronies strode through the door. Of course he took the seat at the head of the table, snapping his fingers in the air and holding his hand out for a drink. Truly the scum of Gaia. Reno seized this opportunity to gain access to his target, scurrying over to quickly pour a glass of bourbon. Heidegger grunted as the drink was placed into his outstretched fingers. He looked up at Reno and gave him a hard look, and for a moment the Turk held his breath; praying to the gods that his makeup job had done the trick.  
“Nice of ‘em to finally get some fresh entertainment in here,” his face was too close and his breath reeked of cigars and stale whiskey, “At least this one has a pretty face to go with that body!” Suddenly with a *smack* there were hands where they should NOT be. Reno’s face grew hot as years of repressed shame and disgust from being treated like an object came flooding back into his mind. _Pull it together, Red,_ he scolded himself, _You’re a fucking Turk. Now’s not the time. Just play the game. Do your JOB._  
  
“Well how ‘bout I make sure you get all my attention to yourself, then?” Reno purred and gave a flirty smile, taking the glittery hat off of his head and placing it atop Heidegger’s with a playful laugh. He accepted this with a vile snort, pleased with himself. The trap was set.  
The bug was placed.  
As the meeting ramped up Reno was able to discover that most of the information being sold had to do with the Mako cannon in Junon- blueprints, engine specs, power conversion rates, everything needed to rebuild an equivalent weapon. From the sounds of it, one that could easily take out an entire reactor, or worse, Shinra tower. The leader of the outside group became shifty as the night wore on, too nervous and constantly moving his hands from his glass on the table to his coat lapels. Not a good sign.  
  
“In need of a refill, boy,” Heidegger growled, and Reno sauntered over with his best feigned enthusiasm, trying to get a closer look at the man across the table. Just as he raised the decanter to pour, the man stood up and pulled a tiny electro pistol from his breast pocket. “We won’t be paying your ridiculous prices today corporate scum- but we do appreciate your contribution to our cause by joining the lifestream and helping to bring down all the other pigs like you!” Before either could make a second move, Reno hurled the glass container at the assailant’s face and leapt across the table. Grabbing the pistol from the stunned man’s hands, he fired two shots into the lackeys approaching and three into their leader, just for good measure. The smell of blood and singed skin filled the room. He quietly gave the code for Rude to circle in as Heidegger screamed at his useless entourage about how he was almost killed. The rest of the waitstaff had bolted toward the door and set off the security alarm, which was now howling at an unnecessary level.  
What Reno had failed to notice was in the struggle his wig had fallen away, revealing his bright red ponytail.  
“YOU!” Heidegger roared.  
“I saved your life, bitch! And that’s tha best you got!?” he shouted back and started to run for the door. _Bang. Bang._ Reno registered the sound of shots fired and searing pain as a pulse of energy grazed over his chest. No time to stop. Rude would be waiting. He just had to make it outside..  
Rude was waiting to pull him into the helicopter as soon as he stepped out the door. Reno collapsed onto the floor, vision starting to blur around the edges as he slowly came down from the adrenaline high. He looked down at his hand covered in a healthy amount of fresh blood. No wonder he was feeling woozy.  
His partner made a motion to tear off the vest that was now adhered to his chest with sweat and blood, but he quickly redirected the attention, not ready for Rude to see the truth about his body. Not yet. Alone in the back of the chopper, Reno tended his wound the best he could and sat quietly all the way back to HQ. They had done it. Mission successful.  
The boss was going to murder him for getting hurt.  
  
The next afternoon, a few bandages and a couple of potions later, Reno was perched on the edge of the Vice President’s desk; Rufus seated in the chair next to him and Tseng in his usual spot just behind. Heidegger stood before them, red faced and huffing like a locomotive. For a moment, no one spoke. Reno in particular wore a feral smile, whilst the others donned slightly less terrifying expressions of victory. “As a member of Shinra Electric Power Company’s board of directors, your actions to undermine the company are inexcusable. A simple man might have you fired, but that would only free you from the burden of your crime. As of this day I OWN YOU. There will be no end to the Investigation Sector. You will never speak to my employees directly again. If I so much as catch you looking them in the eye, you’re dead. The next time you think you have something to say about one of my men… **don’t**.” In a moment of triumph, Reno hopped off of the desk, blue sparks once again lighting up the air around him as he zipped into action. Looking the rat bastard straight in the eye, he spat in his face without hesitation.  
“Shoulda said it to my face, ya backstabbing son of a bitch. And my fat cock says you’ll be callin’ me _sir_ from here on out.” With that, his EMR hummed to life and pointed toward the door.  
Rufus sneered, “That will be all, Chairman. You’re dismissed for the day.”  
The minute the doors were closed the three men let out a collective sigh of relief, laughing with the sudden release of tension. They spent the rest of the afternoon together, composing the mission reports, ensuring all evidence was secured and concealed in multiple places should they need it in future emergencies. They were safe once again, at least on one front, and relished their win with a drink at the end of the day. As the two Turks were about to leave and return to the dorms, Rufus caught Reno’s sleeve and said quietly, “Don’t forget about our bargain. You didn’t die, so I’ll see you at 8pm sharp.” “Yes sir,” he whispered back, and proceeded to waltz out the door back to his room. What an interesting day.

————————————————————————————————————

Outside of Rufus’s rooms, Reno pressed the bell. Dressed in full costume, eyeliner and all, he stood in the hallway and waited. No fear. Even with the bandages covering the left side of his chest and the fact that his vest was singed and bloody from, well, being shot, he was determined to give the Boss a good show. The wide eyes answering the door proved him successful.  
“I didn’t think you’d actually do it…” Rufus mumbled, incredulously.  
“And when have I ever let you down, hmm?” Reno chirped like a cat charming a bird. Inside Rufus gestured to a couple of plush armchairs around a small oak dining table. “Allow me to pour you a drink while we wait for dinner,” he said, filling two glasses with the richest looking cognac the Turk had ever seen. Those three swallows were probably his month’s salary. But damn if it didn’t taste like liquid gold.  
“Your suit.. Shiva, it has _bullet holes_ Reno. Why would you wear it again?”  
“Because it was an order, Boss,” he teased, “you can always order me to take it off.”  
Rufus got that egotistical little twinkle in his eye, the one where he knew everyone was at his mercy. “Turk, I want that offensive garment out of my sight. Right. Now.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there you have it! Yet another obstacle our boy has overcome! I hope you are all still enjoying these little Trans Reno drabbles- they are definitely the thoughts keeping me afloat through these crazy times.  
> As always, let me know if there are any specific issues or situations you’d like to see Reno smash in the future!!


	7. THIS FIC HAS MOVED!!

HELLO THERE WONDERFUL READERS!!

I wanted to let you all know that this fic has been reposted into a more user friendly format, as a series instead of a multi-fic work.  
The series is still called Trial and Error, and you can find it HERE:

https://archiveofourown.org/series/1888198

PLEASE UPDATE YOUR BOOKMARKS AND NOTIFICATIONS!! And as always, thank you so much for reading and supporting this fic! It means the whole world to me!!! <3 

Love,   
Red


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